Warwick riverside resident told to remove 'reassuring' flood boat

The owner of a small boat that is said to 'reassure' Warwick riverside residents has been told he needs to remove it - as it is on council land.

The boat is on the green at the rear of houses in Mercia Way, next to the River Avon.

Warwick District Council said that the boat needs to be removed because it is on the council's 'open space' - but this has been met with much criticism.

Neil Kenton, who owns the boat, is also a member of the Emscote Gardens Flood Action Group.

Speaking as the boat owner, Neil said: "I have kept it on a very small, previously neglected postage stamp recess of open space at the back of my garden.

"Our houses do not have big gardens as we back immediately onto the River Avon against the flood bank.

"We know our immediate area well - we have lived here since 1993 and have accumulated a broad in-depth knowledge of the river, the flood defences and the land.

"During the Easter floods of 1998 our road went under water.

"This was simply because the flood defence outflow flaps had rusted open and let the river in. We then realised that the local authorities were neglecting their flood defences.

"I bought and sited the little white boat here because it took seven years of campaigning and petitioning thereafter to persuade Warwick District Council to get someone to replace these old iron flaps, during which time the council left us openly at risk.

"It has now been 22 years but the council have continued to fail us in their duty of care to maintain the flood defences, with continued neglect and inappropriate development, so there is no reassurance sufficient enough to do anything but to keep the boat where it is, just in case.

"I understand that there is just one emergency boat for our area, crewed and trained for flood water rescue scenarios - our community boat should not be confused with this."

Neil also said that having the small boat has given some reassurance to the people living nearby.

He said: "It is simply a service and supply boat for the lower estate riverside, to be pushed along pavements covered by water, in waders, through potentially contaminated still flood waters up to dry ground.

"This little white boat provides a symbol of reassurance, a control measure for a good community with resilience and neighbourhood mettle who have always taken care of one another well, particularly during the recent pandemic.

"There is no noticeable encroachment on open space given the extensive fencing and housing development either side of our original houses.

"We discovered that if the flood defences fail some time in the future, there is no Flood Emergency Plan for this vicinity.

"This is personal victimisation and nobody should be a victim when sticking up for the good community in such challenging times."

Linda Bromley, on behalf of the Emscote Gardens Flood Action Group, said: "Warwick District Council (WDC) have threatened to remove the boat because it is on council land.

"Since we receive regular flood alerts for our area, flooding is a constant worry.

"However, our community are somewhat reassured by the presence of the small boat which is intended to ferry the elderly, pets, or anyone else to higher ground in the event our roads and homes are flooded.

"It would also be invaluable for bringing provisions to those who stay in their homes.

"It is totally uncaring and cavalier of WDC to say they will remove our boat."

A spokesperson from Warwick District Council said: "The boat in question is placed on an area of this councils ‘open space’ that is located at the rear of some houses on Mercia Way (an area that was once the site of an Anglo-Saxon burial ground).

"This council does not permit other parties to place/store their private property on this councils ‘open space’ and, as a result, in June 2020 we asked for the boat to be removed by early September 2020 in order that the site can be left clear, as an open space, once more.

"The boat is not required as part Warwick District Council’s plans for flooding in the area."